The Elata
by minicpst
Summary: With Bashir and O'Brien set to be executed on a Gamma Quadrant planet, they receive help from a small hero, with global repercussions. No slash.  OC.  My first DS9 fanfic.  Set between seasons three and four, no Dominion War.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I do not own Star Trek, DS9, or any of the characters you recognize.

This is my first DS9 fanfic, and it took me longer to write than most of my stories (nearly 24 full hours, rather than simply churning it out overnight). I hope it's not too disjointed!

**Chapter One**

Miles and Julian flew in silence toward Ugra Prime, a planet in the Gamma Quadrant just emerging onto the galactic scene. It was not the first time humans had been to this planet, however their entire history's worth of visitors probably only had about a dozen visits from various sized ships. Jadzia Dax and Benjamin Sisko had stumbled upon the planet about a year before and had opened diplomatic talks. The Ugrans seemed to be wary, but welcoming. At first they preferred that any other teams from Deep Space Nine be kept separated from their population. Eager to help a newly space-going species, and to make friends, Captain Sisko had agreed to take things slowly. Several months later, Miles and Keiko arrived with a few other botanists to do a floral survey. Today, Miles and Julian were going for plants that Keiko and Miles had surveyed on their previous visit. Julian had found that several had wonderful medicinal properties for many of the Bajorans on the station. He preferred a good synthetic compound, but some of the more traditional Bajorans on board appreciated a more natural approach, and as the station's physician, he tried to make his patients as comfortable as possible with their own treatment.

As this was not the first mission Miles and Julian had been sent on together, they had chatted for a while about their latest holosuite program, station gossip, and then lapsed into a companionable silence for a time broken only to discuss their meal.

After a time, they were hailed by the Ugrans, and given landing coordinates several kilometers outside of the capital city, Kuta. Due to thoron radiation, their transporters would not operate on this planet. They had been given permission this time to enter the city after they had retrieved several kilos of plants, and told to have a pleasant experience. It wasn't a full shore leave, but it would be a nice change of pace after a day's work. A sit down dinner at a restaurant that didn't serve gagh, or have shouting dabo girls.

They put down in a clearing and set to work. Keiko had been very thorough with her survey, so Julian had little more to do than scan for the plants and put what he needed in stasis units. In a few short hours he had enough of each variety of plant to stock his cabinets for years. The stasis units he had would keep the plants as fresh as they were today until he needed them in the future.

When he had completed his work, he and Miles found a nearby road and had a very pleasant hour's walk to the city. The planet was one of the more peaceful ones they'd been to, with creatures making very similar and soothing background noises as you'd hear on a walk through the woods on earth. As they approached the city, for the first time, they were surprised to see that it seemed to parallel many medieval cities on earth. There was a tall, thick wall that fortified the city, and even in some places, a naturally forming moat. There were many entrances, though, and inside of the walls they found little alleyways, side streets, and giant plazas. With permission to visit, and a day's work behind them, they set about finding a restaurant that looked appealing.

While they received many looks from the native people, they received no questions. Julian and Miles knew that outsiders were not known very well to these people, and yet they seemed to be able to curb what would be an insatiable amount of curiosity in a human being. Not one person asked anything about them. Their waiter, a slightly green tinged skinned person took their order with a pleasant, yet efficient, manner. Their plates were brought out by a paler, smaller person, and their table emptied by another pale, small person. Throughout dinner, many people glanced their way, but no one approached them.

"Julian," Miles said. "Do you have the feeling we're on display? Look, but don't touch?"

"Well, I'm sure we're new to them, and they're likely unsure of how to react. It's hardly as if we're on Klingon or Vulcan, where they knew of warp travel long before we did. The Ugrans have just put warp theory into practice ten years ago, barely able to maintain warp two. We were there once as well. Maybe they're just not as curious as we are. Or more polite." He smiled a bit at that.

"It could be that," Miles commented. "I just can't shake this feeling that we've got everyone watching us, waiting for us to do something we shouldn't. It feels like the first week back on DS9, when the Cardassians had left, and they were waiting for us to fall apart."

"Don't forget Major Kira," Julian said, with a grin. "She was waiting for us to leave, to think them worthless, and waiting for the Bajoran government to fall as well. And that turned out pretty well."

Miles conceded with a nod, and looked around at the restaurant again. There seemed to be fewer than half of the patrons left, even though it didn't seem very late according to the planet's sun, nor had the patrons appeared to be finished. As he and Julian watched their plates being cleared, before they could push back their chairs, heavy hands clamped down on their shoulders.

"You will come with us for violation of Doctrine 4.56.921-B, the discussing of offworlders, on the orders of Warden Onan. You are under arrest, and sentence will be carried out swiftly."


	2. Chapter 2

_Previously:_

_"You will come with us for violation of Doctrine 4.56.921-B, the discussing of offworlders, on the orders of Warden Onan. You are under arrest, and sentence will be carried out swiftly."_

**Chapter Two**

In silence, Miles and Julian were marched to a detention center, cataloged and stripped of all tools and communicators. The guards never said anything after their arrest, nor were they allowed to contact the station. They meandered around a large cell, beating their feet and rubbing their arms, trying to keep warm.

"I don't get it," said Miles. "What Doctrine? What have we done? What sentence?"

"I wish I knew, Chief," said Julian. "I hadn't seen anything in the landing protocols on behaviors we would be expected to follow. In fact, I think the exact wording was to have a 'pleasant experience.' I want to know who to complain to, but this is not pleasant."

"Julian, be serious! We have no idea what the sentence is, but it doesn't sound like it's going to be something we want to stick around to find out. We should see if anyone here knows anything."

In the planet's cool nighttime many of the occupants of their large cell were asleep, but there were several rambling about. Some in pairs, some mumbling, some simply sitting and staring off into space. After an hour the only information they had gotten, and that by eavesdropping, was that all sentences were the same. Death at sunrise. There were no trials, no appeals. Guilty parties were executed the morning after their arrest. Without knowing how long this planet's night was meant that Julian and Miles didn't know if they had the equivalent to an Earth hour left, or an Earth day.

They sat with their backs to the wall and looked around. It seemed to be the same combination of slightly green skinned people and smaller, paler people. Probably malnourished in some way, Julian said, or those who work in dark areas, like coal miners from Earth's past. Always seeming to be smaller and paler than their surfacing dwelling counterparts. Miles didn't say it, but coal mining seemed to be a serious offense on this planet. Probably 80% of the population of the jail seemed to be small and frail. Though it seemed that some of the miners worked at the jail. As the sun started to color the eastern horizon a slightly lighter black the employees of the jail came to work. Guards doubled, janitors and support staff walked about, and the population of the jail woke. Still, no one spoke to them, though many people, workers and inmates alike, openly stared.

"I hope this isn't how we reacted when the Vulcans first came to Earth," said Miles, impatiently. "It's damned distracting!"

At his outburst, one of the workers in the jail looked up and made eye contact with him, and she did not look away. Her expression never changed from a slight surprise at the level of his voice, but she continued to openly stare at Miles for several minutes. And then, without warning, she smiled. It was the first positive interaction that had been initiated by an Ugran, and it did not go unnoticed by both Miles and Julian. However, very quickly she looked away, and then scurried past their cell, hiding her face in a sheet of waist length brown hair. A large Ugran male, presumably the Warden, soon stood in front of the gate to the cell. A guard to his left opened the gate.

"I am Onan, Warden of this jail, de facto leader of Ugra Prime. You have all been convicted and found guilty. Sentence will be carried out swiftly. Follow!" And with that he turned on his heel, leaving the guards to round up the condemned and march them from the cell, with Julian and Miles in front.


	3. Chapter 3

_Previously:_

_"I am Onan, Warden of this jail, de facto leader of Ugra Prime. You have all been convicted and found guilty. Sentence will be carried out swiftly. Follow!" And with that he turned on his heel, leaving the guards to round up the condemned and march them from the cell, with Julian and Miles in front._

**Chapter Three**

By the time they reached the main city plaza, the sun was over the horizon. The plaza was filled with spectators. Some shouting, some crying, some stoic. All of them, though, staring at Miles and Julian. Once all of the condemned were inside of the plaza and surrounded by guards, Onan spoke again, unrolling a large parchment. He cleared his throat and motioned to the guards nearest to Miles and Julian. They were led silently to a wall that was pockmarked and stained, obviously used for this sort of event in the past. Some ten meters away stood a firing squad.

"Miles Edward O'Brien. Julian Subatoi Bashir. You have been sentenced to death, via public firing squad, for violation of Doctrine 4.56.921-B, the crime of discussing offworlders on Ugra Prime. You have been found guilty, and sentence will be carried out immediately, with no final words and no repeals possible." He rolled up the parchment and turned to the firing squad. "Men, raise your weapons!"

"NO! You will not touch them!"

Miles and Julian looked around, as did much of the crowd, looking for the voice that had stopped their execution. To their surprise, the worker who had made eye contact with them, the long haired short Ugran, certainly no more than a meter and a half tall, stepped forward and went toe to toe with Onan, her eyes level with his chest. A murmur of shock went through the gathered people.

"They have done nothing wrong, Onan, and you know it. They are new to our world, and as such cannot be expected to know our rules and ways. And since we are so xenophobic, though we seem welcoming, we do nothing to educate new visitors. We just hide behind our traditions and execute anyone who disagrees. The Doctrines are not laws! They do not need to be punished in this way. How many offworlders have you put to death here over the years? Ten? Twenty? One hundred? Well, no more, Onan! From now on, if we are going to open our world to visitors from the stars, let there be no more secrets. They should know all about us, all about our..."

Whatever she was going to say was drowned out by Onan, his face a shocking shade of puce, as he clamped his hand around her small throat. "SILENCE! You will NOT continue like this. You. YOU! will be silent. How dare you speak to me, Elata, without being spoken to! I shall have you executed!" He raised his arm to gesture to the guards. One of his men came over and took the small Ugran by the upper arm, none too gently.

Even under threat of immediate death, though, she did not relent. "I will NOT be silent, Onan! We have been silent for millenia. And we will not stand for it anymore. We are not second class citizens. We are tired of hiding who and what we are! I am Iolani, we are Elata, we are from Ugra Prime, and we are proud of it!"

At this exclamation there were shouts from the surrounding crowd. Julian and Miles looked around and saw workers throw down their implements and whoop in a near war cry. The sound carried out of the plaza and into the surrounding area, where it was picked up by others. More "Elata", presumably, whoever they were. Then, a shot was fired, and another, and more in rapid succession. Everyone in the plaza ducked and screamed, taking cover. Julian and Miles did the same, and as they did so they saw Onan raise a weapon and take aim directly at them. In all of the confusion of the sudden civil unrest, there was no time for anyone to notice his action, or act against it.

As they closed their eyes and braced for the inevitable, they each felt a small hand at their collars, then a particular tearing sensation. Miles thought it felt something like being pulled through a doorway that was too small. When he opened his eyes after the feeling ended, they were outside of the city's walls, toward the direction of the runabout.

"Which way?" their rescuer asked. For the first time the Starfleet officers could see who had saved them. It was the small Ugran who had declared herself Elata. There were no times for explanations as to how they had appeared about a kilometer away from where they just had been.

Miles gained his feet, looked around, and pointed. "The runabout's about four kilometers that way." They took off running down the road toward the runabout, listening to the sounds behind them. The city was doing a very good job of sounding like a revolution had started. Perhaps this is what the Elata had wanted to have happen, though Miles found it hard to believe that they wanted it to happen this way.

Julian and Miles ran in silence with Iolani for several minutes, slowing only as the road grew rougher and rougher. The city grew quiet as their distance increased. But then they became aware of another sound, a low hum. At first it seemed like perhaps it could be imagined, but then as it droned on it became clear that there were vehicles behind them, gaining. They ducked off of the road. This afforded them less visibility, but their progress was slowed significantly.

Julian looked at Iolani, who had been silent since they started for the runabout. "Why are you doing this, Iolani? Why start a revolution and leave to help us escape? I'm not ungrateful for the help, it's not that. It's just..." His voice faded as he couldn't put into words what he was feeling. That their rescue had come at the cost of potentially hundreds or thousands of lives. That the planet may be heading toward civil war. All because of the two of them. He was horrified.

Iolani had not stopped moving forward as Julian had spoken, and then gone silent. She took a long blink, and simply said, "Because it's the right thing to do."

"What," said Miles, "help us escape, or start a civil war?"

"Both," she said, quietly and with conviction, looking at them, then lapsed back into silence.

Several minutes later, the droning of the vehicles had approached again, along with the shouts of Ugrans. Julian, Miles, and Iolani ducked for cover as they waited for the vehicles to search and pass. The planet seemed to be about even with the mid 20th century in terms of technology. No infrared devices to search by heat, just old fashioned eyes and ears. But after the first wave of vehicles, another came within a few minutes, then another wave. Progress toward the runabout was slowed to a crawl.

"Iolani," Julian asked quietly, his mouth next to her ear, "what did you do before, to get us out of the city?"

Iolani gently touched their wrists. Though she didn't speak aloud, they could hear her perfectly clearly. It didn't seem telepathic, more that they could simply hear her while she didn't speak. "It's a way my people have of moving ourselves. It's not something that we often do, since we try to blend in." Her face blushed a soft pink from her collarbones to her hairline, the first time they had seen a softer emotion on her face. "But we should be proud of who we are, and of what we can do."

"Like communicating like this?" Miles whispered. Iolani nodded.

Julian asked, "Can you do it again? We're not getting any closer to the runabout like this."

Again they heard her even as she did not speak, "My range is limited, but I can try. I hadn't taken others along with me before." She tightened her grip on their wrists in each of her hands. She closed her eyes for a moment, then they had the sensation of being pulled through a narrow doorway again. When it ceased they were another kilometer closer. They crouched as another vehicle approached, slowed, and shouted. They had been spotted. Weapons were fired toward them.

"Hold on," Iolani said, urgently. She gripped their wrists strongly again and closed her eyes. A moment later, Miles and Julian blinked as their feet regained solid ground. Another kilometer or so gone. Just one more to go. Hopefully the searchers would continue to look where they had been last spotted, and not be this far from the city already.

Iolani was slower to open her eyes this time, and she swayed slightly where she stood. She was paler than she had been when they had met her, and she seemed even smaller. She had not yet released their wrists, and Julian took one of hers in his free hand. At his touch, Iolani opened her eyes. Julian looked like he was about to ask if she was ok, but she spoke first. "Ready, gentlemen? We'll have to walk from here." She released both of them and started walking slowly through the thicker underbrush, toward where Miles had gestured several kilometers before. They followed, keeping their ears open for pursuit.

Unfortunately, they didn't have to wait long to hear it. Nearly instantly they heard the vehicles getting closer again and very quickly they were forced to start running. They could hear shouts and weapons being mounted and aimed behind them.

Once again they felt Iolani's hands grasping up at their collars, but instead of the teleporting sensation, they were lifted off the ground. They craned their heads back to look at her, and were shocked to see thin, nearly translucent wings had unfolded from her back, through her thick wave of hair. Her speed was incredible, especially while carrying the two of them, and the strain of it was evident on her face.

Iolani climbed high enough to take them out of range of the weapons on the vehicles. With what seemed to be nearly the last of her energy, she flew them as quickly toward the runabout as she could, keeping them airborne high enough so that when they would land they would have a minimal distance to cover on the ground. While the weapons weren't an issue at the moment, the soldiers were driving toward the runabout, nearly matching their speed, and it would be close.

Iolani started to descend once the runabout was visible in the clearing in front of them. They could hear the rumble of ground engines, and the voices of the men. When they were just a few meters from having their feet on solid ground, Iolani's eyes rolled back and she collapsed, dropping them the rest of the way. Her wings folded back under her hair and shirt as she crumpled and rolled. Miles jumped up and ran toward the runabout to get the door open, seeing the soldiers just at the edge of the clearing where they had landed. Julian crawled back to Iolani, scooped her up in his arms, and ran toward the runabout right behind Miles. They both jumped in, and while Julian laid Iolani down on the floor, Miles closed the door and started their launch sequence. They heard a few dings of bullets grazing the hull of the ship, and within seconds they were airborne, and out of the primitive weapons' range. Miles set a course for Deep Space Nine, set the autopilot at maximum warp, and then stepped back to where Julian was sitting on the floor.

Miles stared at Iolani as Julian checked her over. He was silent while the doctor worked, but as soon as it was clear on Julian's face that Iolani was in no danger, he spoke up to confirm it.

"Is she going to be ok, Julian?"

He nodded quietly. "She seems to be exhausted, just sleeping. I suspect the exertion of our rescue was simply too much for her, she seems malnourished. But I don't know. I don't know her species at all, if she is indeed a different species from the Ugran. She has some similarities, but others..." He lapsed into silence. After a few minutes, Miles couldn't help but comment.

"What just happened there, Julian? We were welcome, granted permission to take flora, invited to dinner, imprisoned for discussing 'offworlders', nearly executed, at the center of a civil war, and rescued by someone who looks like pixie!" He paused for a moment, as if just realizing that what he said felt true. "I half expect her to have pointed ears." At that he ran his fingers into her long brown hair and tucked her locks behind her ears. Sure enough, they each had a small and exotic point.

"It's a wonder she was able to carry us both as far as she did. She can't weigh more than 35 kilos herself. And her wings are so pale and thin it's amazing they hold her up, never mind her plus the two of us."

Julian had been silent while Miles spoke, his brow furrowed and his arm on his knee, the medical tricorder hanging open and forgotten.

"Hmm? Oh, not more than 35. Probably closer to 30. What I don't understand is how we've missed it these times we've been to their planet. This wasn't the first time humans had been there, and interacted with them. Why would they open their planet to others if they were so xenophobic? Why not keep themselves closed off? And how did we not notice that there was a second sentient humanoid species living intermingled with them? And why did they not mention it themselves? Had you seen anything in your previous visit, Chief?"

Miles shook his head. "Nothing. But then, I wasn't looking specifically for it. To look at her when her wings are tucked in, you'd think she's just a petite and pale version of an Ugran. Barely more different visually than between me and Keiko as humans. She kept her hair over her ears and her wings away. I had no idea until she stood up and proclaimed it for all to hear.

"Boy, the Captain's not going to be happy when he hears what's happened. I guess she has to come back with us now. We can't very well turn around and drop her back off on her planet, nor risk ourselves. And it's not like we interfered with their planet. We were invited, and they started a revolution on their own."

"Because WE were there, Miles. This would have happened anyway, but we were the catalyst today to trigger it." He sighed. "I agree, though, we should take her back with us. She's in no condition to be left anywhere besides with a doctor. She should simply wake up, but I want to observe her for a while. And I'm sure the Captain will want to hear what happened from her, as well as us."

At that, he stood, and once again lifted Iolani into his arms, a sheath of hair cascading over his arm. He took her to the aft section of the runabout and laid her on a bed. Miles went to the controls, and piloted them toward the wormhole and Deep Space Nine.


	4. Chapter 4

_Previously:_

"_Boy, the Captain's not going to be happy when he hears what's happened. I guess she has to come back with us now. We can't very well turn around and drop her back off on her planet, nor risk ourselves. And it's not like we interfered with their planet. We were invited, and they started a revolution on their own."_

_"Because WE were there, Miles. This would have happened anyway, but we were the catalyst today to trigger it." He sighed. "I agree, though, we should take her back with us. She's in no condition to be left anywhere besides with a doctor. She should simply wake up, but I want to observe her for a while. And I'm sure the Captain will want to hear what happened from her, as well as us."_

_At that, he stood, and once again lifted Iolani into his arms, a sheath of hair cascading over his arm. He took her to the aft section of the runabout and laid her on a bed. Miles went to the controls, and piloted them toward the wormhole and Deep Space Nine._

**Chapter Four**

With the Ugrans unable to keep up with their warp five ship, Julian and Miles made it back through the wormhole and to Deep Space Nine uneventfully. Within a couple hours of their scheduled execution time, they were back on the station, giving their report to Captain Sisko in the infirmary, where Iolani had been brought for observation.

"So what you're saying, gentlemen, is that while we've been invited to the planet on two occasions since our first contact over a year ago, as have others, told to make ourselves comfortable, they've been executing visitors at every chance they get? They're also a planet of two sentient and separate species, not just one?"

"It does seem that way, Captain," Miles said. "We saw a good number of the two types, once we knew that they were two different species and not just a group of Ugrans who were just more petite and pale. Though I would not call them equal, at least not in their eyes. Iolani calls herself Elata. The Elata seem to make up a large percentage of the laboring folk, while the Ugran seem to be in the higher jobs. And the attitude is similar, with the Elata being a second class citizen. At least from what we saw."

Julian interrupted Miles. "Now that I've gotten her back to the station and run further scans on her, sir, it's clear that there was an evolutionary divide between the two species several thousands of years ago. I don't know what triggered it, or the full extent of the differences, but the Elata are smaller, paler, and they seem to have a number of interesting characteristics that the larger, slightly greener Ugran do not."

"Such as?" asked Captain Sisko.

"Such as the ability to teleport herself and others, the capability of some sort of non verbal communication, though I hesitate to call it simply telepathic, and the ability to fly, sir."

"To fly?" Captain Sisko's eyebrows went up at this.

"Yes, sir," Miles said. "It was a shock to us as well. All of these were. She also seems to be able to lift many times her own weight while flying, as she carried both of us nearly a kilometer in the air. Sir, without her we would be dead. No question about it. Many times over. Whether or not we broke a law, or a tradition, I don't know, but Onan, the Warden, would have shot us himself if we had stayed just another moment. We owe her our lives."

Captain Sisko looked at Iolani's small, pale form. This was going to turn into a diplomatic nightmare, and yet he couldn't return her to her people while she was in this condition, not without hearing he side of the story.

"I will grant her temporary asylum until she regains consciousness. Doctor, I want to know the moment she's awake." Doctor Bashir nodded. "Until then, let's get to know more about the Ugrans so we know what we're up against. I want you two in Ops in an hour to brief the senior staff. Until then, Doctor, learn what you can about our guest." With those orders, Captain Sisko left the infirmary.


	5. Chapter 5

_Previously:_

"_I will grant her temporary asylum until she regains consciousness. Doctor, I want to know the moment she's awake." Doctor Bashir nodded. "Until then, let's get to know more about the Ugrans so we know what we're up against. I want you two in Ops in an hour to brief the senior staff. Until then, Doctor, learn what you can about our guest." With those orders, Captain Sisko left the infirmary._

**Chapter Five**

An hour later, Doctor Bashir and Chief O'Brien arrived in Ops with the rest of the senior staff. Captain Sisko got right to business.

"Chief, Doctor, this is your show. What do we know?"

Miles started, "They're a relatively new warp society, with vessels that can barely attain and maintain warp two. While they've seemed open to visitors, they are aloof, bordering on unfriendly if you interact with them. While we were simply gathering the plants we had gone to get, we were left alone after being given instructions on where to land. Nothing indicated that there was civil unrest brewing, nor that the planet was not actually welcoming to outsiders. We went to dinner, as we had been invited, and while there we were simply stared at by others. It was disconcerting, to say the least. Looking back on it, with the fear of visitors and discussing offworld matters, I can see why others would be wary of us. They have only one penalty for any crime there, and it's death by firing squad, at dawn."

At this, Odo interrupted. "Excuse me, Chief. But what kind of weapons are we looking at here. If they are indeed on their way, it's good to know what we'll be up against."

"They seemed to have weapons equivalent to late 20th century weapons. Bullets and gunpowder by the looks of them." Odo nodded at this, then inclined his head to indicate that the chief should continue.

"We were arrested, not knowing that discussing matters that were not Ugran was against their Doctrines, and sentenced to death in the morning. Iolani, the Elata in the infirmary, worked at the prison. I don't know what her role was in all of this before we arrived, but she was the first person to look at us and actually voluntarily interact with us. She followed the procession to the plaza where we were to be executed, and stood up to the Warden. Her actions spawned a city wide revolution between the Elata and the Ugrans, it seemed. However, she stepped in to save our lives, and teleported us out of the plaza."

Again, Odo interrupted. "Are all Elata able to self teleport?"

This time Julian answered. "That seemed to be what Iolani indicated, Constable. She said it was a trait her people had, but the Ugrans did not. I don't know, yet, how they're able to do it at all." With Odo satisfied with that answer, Julian continued. "She also has two other abilities that Miles and I witnessed. She's able to communicate with others via touch, but without speaking. I've run some tests. It's not telepathy at all, but more the ability to transfer the sound waves through skin to skin contact and into the auditory nerves directly. Her other ability is to fly. Through my scans I've found that her wings and back are similar in some ways to insects on Earth. Her body simply flaps its wings without her having to think of it, or fire nerve endings and creates a tiny amount of thrust every time. But by beating her wings hundreds or thousands of times a second, she can create enough thrust to lift herself, as well as potentially others, like she did with me and Miles. However, this burns fuel at an enormous rate, which is why she is now unconscious in the infirmary. I've got her being fed via an IV, and I suspect she'll wake up within a couple of hours."

Captain Sisko nodded. "With warp two capable ships we should expect them within three or four hours, if they're going to be coming for her. Let's get ready people. I don't want to alienate potential new allies, nor take sides in their war. However, we owe a debt to Iolani, and until she regains consciousness we'll assume she will seek asylum. Dismissed."

With that, the officers went to their posts, reading the station for visitors or a battle.


	6. Chapter 6

_Previously:_

_Captain Sisko nodded. "With warp two capable ships we should expect them within three or four hours, if they're going to be coming for her. Let's get ready people. I don't want to alienate potential new allies, nor take sides in their war. However, we owe a debt to Iolani, and until she regains consciousness we'll assume she will seek asylum. Dismissed."_

_With that, the officers went to their posts, reading the station for visitors or a battle._

**Chapter Six**

Julian went back to the infirmary and found Iolani starting to stir, but not yet awake. He watched her, and glanced at the display on her biobed, then looked back at her. The IV had helped, and she should be feeling better. Within a minute her eyes fluttered and then opened. She took a deep breath and her eyes focused on the doctor.

"I guess we made it then, Julian?"

"Yes we did. We have you to thank for that. We're on Deep Space Nine now, in the Alpha Quadrant" He touched his comm badge. "Bashir to Captain Sisko."

"Sisko here."

"You wanted to know when our guest was awake, sir."

"I'll be right there, Doctor. Sisko out."

Julian smiled down at Iolani. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling better now, thanks. Please, help me up."

"I think we should wait, you've had quite a shock to your system, and I don't want to tax you more than necessary."

"Julian, I don't want to meet the commander of your station while I'm laying on my back attached to an IV. Please. Help me."

Julian pressed his lips together, biting back the argument that if she needed help then she wasn't ready, but instead he slipped his hands under her armpits, and helped to pull her to a sitting position in the biobed.

"The IV stays, though," he said.

Iolani gave him a small smile and nodded, and then looked around at her surroundings. "It's a fair compromise. I didn't know you were a doctor. You're so confident and you seem to expect respect. On my world, doctors are not highly thought of. They know our species' dirty secrets and are forced to confront them daily, whenever an Elatian seeks medical advice. And so they are considered nearly the lowest of the low, just above the Elata themselves."

Doctor Bashir went to open his mouth to ask more, but was interrupted by the doors opening to admit Captain Sisko. Benjamin came over to the biobed and held out his hand to his guest.

"Captain Benjamin Sisko, commander of Deep Space Nine. I hear I have you to thank for saving my officers' lives. Thank you."

Iolani nodded, and shook the captain's hand with a strength he would not have thought her possible, given her size and condition.

"It was the right thing to do, Captain. And I hope to be able to get to know your officers better and to say that it was also my pleasure."

Captain Sisko found it disconcerting to hear the words of what sounded like a diplomatic ambassador from the body of what looked like a human child. Iolani was small boned and petite, pale, with her eyes large in her hollowed and exhausted face. And yet she sounded like someone who had been taking care of others, and taking charge, for years.

"While you were unconscious, I granted you temporary asylum on the station. I need to know now what your intentions are. Do you wish to return to your people, or stay on board?"

Iolani gave a sharp bark of humorless laughter. "Returning would mean my sure and certain death come the following dawn, Captain. I'm sure Onan now has a bullet with my name on it sitting by his bed, hoping that he'll have a reason to use it. I'm sure he suspected for a while that there was a resistance to the Ugran oppression, but neither he nor I knew when the fuse was going to be lit. I trained others well to take over in my absence, though I expected death, rather than to leave my world. If I can go home, it's certainly not in the very near future. I would respectfully request political asylum aboard your station, Captain."

Captain Sisko nodded. "Granted. Until you are released from Doctor Bashir's care, I would suggest you stay here in the infirmary. After that, quarters will be assigned to you. A guard is outside, both for your protection..."

"...as well as those aboard the station, Captain. I understand. I am unarmed, though, and I pose no threat to you. I look forward to a mutual trust between us."

"As do I, Iolani. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to get back to Ops." He nodded to the doctor, and left the infirmary.


	7. Chapter 7

_Previously:_

_Captain Sisko nodded. "Granted. Until you are released from Doctor Bashir's care, I would suggest you stay here in the infirmary. After that, quarters will be assigned to you. A guard is outside, both for your protection..." _

"_...as well as those aboard the station, Captain. I understand. I am unarmed, though, and I pose no threat to you. I look forward to a mutual trust between us."_

"_As do I, Iolani. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to get back to Ops." He nodded to the doctor, and left the infirmary. _

**Chapter Seven**

After Captain Sisko left, Iolani sank back against the biobed and closed her eyes again.

"Are you ok, Iolani?" asked Doctor Bashir, gently.

She opened her eyes again, and smiled weakly. "I am, Julian, thank you. Just tired. I'm not a diplomat, I'm not a revolutionary leader."

Julian's eyebrows went up. "You seem like both to me."

Iolani's mouth contorted into a frown. "Out of necessity, not desire. I would rather be with other Elata my age. Getting together after work to play games in the woods, or even going to school or having lessons. It was banned, of course, to educate Elatians, in an attempt to keep us subservient. But we've been teaching ourselves, learning about our abilities ourselves, trading with offworlders ourselves. I know a bit about your world and customs, Julian, as well as others in the Federation. I was able to smuggle a book from a Federation citizen one day. I went right home and read it after work. And I was able to warn him to leave our planet quickly, before Onan got into one of his moods."

"What do you do, Iolani? Besides be a diplomat and a revolutionary leader."

Again she laughed, though this time it was softer and more amused. "I work in the prison laundry, Julian. I'm nobody. Or maybe I'm the one who's just the most fed up. But I haven't been groomed to be a leader, or taught for this position. I'm just an Elatian who wants to BE Elata. I don't want to hide my ears or my wings, I don't want to be ashamed to have kids some day, wishing they could be born Ugran so they would be better than me. I met a few others, at lessons, who were in a similar position to me, and because I worked in the jail laundry, relatively near to the ones in charge, I was chosen to try first. I hope the others were able to make a stand. Things need to change."

"Iolani," Julian asked, slowly, "How old are you? You speak like a child as well as a leader."

"Is there a reason those two are mutually exclusive? I'm 10 Ugran years, what you would consider to be a teenager. But as an Elatian, I was expected to start work at three, and work until I dropped dead, or I was found guilty of breaking a Doctrine, and never to let my ears or wings show. My life expectancy was never long, Julian. A 15 year old Elatian is an old Elatian."

Julian was shocked by this information. According to his scans, there was no reason an Elatian should live any shorter of a lifespan than an average Ugran, between 90 and 110 Earth years, or about 76 Ugran years. For them to die before 15, it was horrible.

Before Julian could ask another question the comm system chirped.

"Sisko to Bashir. If our guest is ready, we could use her help in Ops."

Iolani nodded to the doctor and started to remove the IV from her arm. Once it was out she hopped off the bed, gripping it for support. Her eyes were down, and her hair hid her face. She might have fallen if Doctor Bashir had not reached out a hand to steady her, but she quickly stood on her own and shook off his arm. "I'm fine, Julian. Shall we?"


	8. Chapter 8

_Previously:_

"_Sisko to Bashir. If our guest is ready, we could use her help in Ops."_

_Iolani nodded to the doctor and started to remove the IV from her arm. Once it was out she hopped off the bed, gripping it for support. Her eyes were down, and her hair hid her face. She might have fallen if Doctor Bashir had not reached out a hand to steady her, but she quickly stood on her own and shook off his arm. "I'm fine, Julian. Shall we?"_

**Chapter Eight**

Iolani and Doctor Bashir arrived in Ops just as the screen flickered to life, showing a small Ugran vessel.

Jadzia Dax looked over at Captain Sisko. "They're hailing us, sir."

"On screen."

He paused as the slightly green tinged face of Onan came up, larger than life.

"I'm Captain Benjamin Sisko of the Federation space station Deep Space Nine. Whom am I addressing?"

"This is Warden Onan, of the planet Ugra Prime, Captain. You are holding an animal from our planet. We ask that you turn her back over to us for her punishment, so that she can be dealt with like the others of her kind."

At the mention of the other Elatians Iolani stiffened, but did not speak. She never removed her eyes from Onan's image on the screen.

"What crime, exactly, did she commit, and what punishment are you discussing?"

"She has broken a good number of our Doctrines, Captain, including 4.56.921-B, the discussing of offworlders; 1.1.132-A, the crime of being an Elata out of position; 8.27.976, helping condemned prisoners escape, among others. The punishment for each of these is death by firing squad at dawn. We will dock to retrieve her from your station. In the interest of diplomacy, I will not ask you to surrender your officers, who were also found guilty of Doctrine 4.56.921-B, the discussing of offworlders. Only the animal Elata, so she may be put to death."

Captain Sisko was too much of a practiced diplomat to allow himself to react, but those who knew him could see the tension at the back of his neck and in his jaw. "Warden, we have granted asylum to Iolani, and she is under our protection. With all due respect, your weapons are not a match for our defenses. May I suggest you leave this area before anyone gets hurt."

Iolani spoke up for the first time now. "Captain, may I please speak?"

Benjamin waved her forward, and she stood next to him to address Onan directly.

"Onan, you cannot suppress us forever. I'm sure you have more of a battle on your hands at home than you are letting on. We had been very frustrated for a very long time. Change needed to happen. Soon the Elata will venture out to the stars, with or without the Ugra. And everyone will know of us. Make this easier on everyone, let those who would like to leave, leave, and let those who would prefer to stay be equal citizens under the Doctrines."

While Iolani spoke, Onan's face had gotten greener and greener, his expression one of anger and disbelief.

"You are no one! No Elatian is worth the work they manage to do. You are stupid, ignorant beings with hideous abnormalities. We should have eradicated your kind hundreds of years ago. I refuse to speak with you, and I WILL fire on the station to retrieve you and have you put to death. A public death is better than you deserve. I shall squash you with my own hands you pathetic little being. I will rejoice in ripping your wings from your body, bit by bit, until you beg me to end your life."

Iolani had stood, impassive but paling, while Onan shouted at her. Without saying anything more, she tucked her hair behind her ears and released her wings from her back. At the sight of her, Onan sputtered and stopped talking. The other officers on his ship could be heard to gasp. Even the Deep Space Nine officers' eyebrows went up. In the silence that followed, Iolani spoke, quietly, but with authority.

"Onan, it is over. You cannot pretend anymore that our world has but one species. I will not stay quiet, and now the whole galaxy can hear me. My people will no longer be quiet on our world, accepting that we are second rate. We are different, Onan. Not better, not worse. Just different. In time, I hope our two peoples can live together on our homeworld in peace. I shall tell our story to those who will listen. Until then, goodbye."

Iolani, with her wings still spread with pride, and her long brown hair tucked behind her delicately pointed ears, turned her back on Onan and walked back toward the turbolift where Julian was still standing. She offered him a small, tired smile before replacing it with a blank face and turning back toward Ops.

Onan and his staff had recovered from their surprise at seeing an Elatian with her wings proudly out, and Onan was barking orders to fire on the station. Seconds later, impacts could be heard all over the habitat ring.

"Shields are not effective against projectile weapons, Captain," Miles reported. "However, only minor damage to the habitat ring. No damage or injuries."

More impacts could be heard, then the station rocked.

"Chief," Captain Sisko barked, "Return fire. Take out their weapons, but do not destroy them or damage their engines."

"Aye, sir." Miles' fingers danced over the Cardassian controls with ease, and on the screen they could see beams going to the Ugran ship. The rocking stopped.

"Open communications with Onan, Lieutenant," said Captain Sisko.

"We're being ignored, Captain," she replied. "Continuing to attempt to hail."

Without warning, Onan appeared in Ops, partially shielding his mass behind another small Elatian. He had obviously used the smaller man to teleport into Ops. Onan raised his weapon instantly, and fired quickly toward Iolani. Julian had seen what was about to happen and tried to step in front of her, but he was only partially successful. The bullet grazed through his arm, and lodged in Iolani's shoulder. She cried out in pain, suddenly sounding not like a revolutionary leader, but a hurt child. She recovered quickly, though, grasping her shoulder, and staring Onan in the eye. Before he could fire again, he was stunned by Captain Sisko. Julian turned to tend to Iolani, but she waved him away, simply tucking pieces of her shirt on top of her flowing wound, holding her injured arm close to her side.

Captain Sisko gave terse orders. "Send a message to the Ugran ship. They are free to leave. Onan will be remaining here." Benjamin turned to the Elata who had been used to teleport Onan on board. "I need you to think very carefully about your answer. Did you voluntarily help this man come on board my station, or were you coerced?" The Elatian stared blankly at Benjamin, not seeming to understand the question, or that an answer was required in any way. Iolani walked slowly toward him and gently touched his arm with her uninjured one. Without talking, the rest of the officers on Ops could tell she was trying to communicate with her fellow Elatian.

"It's no use, Captain. He does not think for himself. I have heard of the Ugrans using lobotomies on my fellow Elata, but I had hoped it was nothing more than a rumor. Apparently it's true, though." Her eyes filled with tears. "There is nothing we can do for him, he is a shell. Please, can we send him home to be with his family on Ugra Prime? For all of the horrors that have been done to him, from what I've heard, he is allowed to stay with his family, since he needs caring for. They can do it best. He has not consciously done anything wrong, and does not deserve to be jailed."

Captain Sisko nodded solemnly, and Iolani once more touched her peer. A tear ran down her face as she let go of his wrist, and he closed his eyes and disappeared from the spot. On the screen, the Ugran ship turned without a further word and left the Bajoran system.


	9. Chapter 9

_Previously:_

_Captain Sisko nodded solemnly, and Iolani once more touched her peer. A tear ran down her face as she let go of his wrist, and he closed his eyes and disappeared from the spot. On the screen, the Ugran ship turned without a further word and left the Bajoran system. _

**Chapter Nine**

With the ship no longer threatening the station the crew of the station could breathe a sign of relief. Onan was moved, under Odo's watchful eyes, to the brig. For the first time, Iolani looked like a carefree young woman, smiling widely at the turn of events, and very proud of herself and her people. She knew, whatever happened, it was a step in the right direction. Onan was no longer in control of the Ugran people. He had been the worst Warden they had had for many generations.

She and Julian headed to the infirmary to have their wounds tended. A nurse used the dermal regenerator on Julian's arm. The bullet had gone clean through the flesh, not at all a serious wound.

When his arm was healed he helped Iolani onto the biobed, and used a delta wave inducer so she would sleep through the operation to remove the bullet. Once she was asleep, it was easy enough to locate the bullet, remove it, and then stimulate growth of new muscle and bone. The bullet had lodged in her shoulder bone, so she would be sore for several days, but there should be no lasting repercussions from it.

She awoke naturally as he was finishing with the dermal regenerator on her skin.

"How does that feel?" he asked.

Iolani moved her left arm slightly, and grimaced as she felt the twinges in the bone and muscle. But it was far better than it had been. "It feels fine, Julian, thank you."

Julian smiled at her. Always the diplomat. "I didn't see any damage to your dorsal muscles, so you should be able to fly whenever you want, just take it easy for a few days. Give your body a chance to rest and heal."

She nodded, but it was clear her mind was on other subjects already. "Am I free to go now? I want to go and see Onan."

Julian nodded. He couldn't understand why she would want to see him again so soon, but there was no reason to stop her.

"I'll walk you down to the security office, if you'd like. It's not far." He helped her down from the biobed and watched as she unfolded her wings and tucked her hair behind her ears, her head held high.

"I'm curious," he said, "Do your wings retract automatically when you sleep, or is it something you consciously do?"

Iolani giggled nervously at his question. She had never been asked about her wings before. They had always been such a badge of shame on Ugra Prime. But here she was free to discuss them with offworlders. What she had hoped for had come true. At least for her. She wished now that someday she would be able to return safely home and find this on her homeworld as well.

"It was a conscious decision at one point to retract them, Julian. Since it was such a shame and dishonor to be born Elata, we learned at a very early age to hide our wings, even in sleep. It's a reflex now. We wear clothing with hidden slits so that we can spread our wings, in private, when we need to. Similar to stretching out a bent leg or arm. But their natural tendency, if it's not squashed in childhood, is to be extended. Unfortunately, the Ugrans spent many generations breeding Elatians for those who had naturally retracting wings, or better yet, those few whose wings did not expand at all. So it is harder for some of my people to have their wings out. But soon, I hope soon, we can all walk with our heads held high, showing our wings and ears with pride."

Julian noted the change that had come over Iolani. Though he had only known her for less than a day, it was such a startling difference. She was still a diplomatic general, he could see, always thinking of the next step and the far goals. But she was also enjoying the present for what looked to be the first time in her life. She looked young, like a teenager should.

Her face didn't change much as they entered Odo's security office. Julian nodded to Odo. "Onan is awake, Doctor, and none too happy. Are you here to check on him?"

"I'm not, Constable. Iolani would like to see him."

Odo nodded his consent, and stood to escort them in to see the prisoner. Iolani took a deep breath and went in to see the man who had terrorized her people for the last 50 years. Her entire life, and several stunted generations of her ancestors. Even though he was behind a forcefield, she was still nervous.

As if reading her mind, Julian rested his hand on her right shoulder, just above her wing. His touch was warm and comforting, and it allowed her to go further into the room.

Iolani stood, staring at her personal monster, the man she had worked near and survived for seven years. The man who threatened to kill her with his bare hands not but two hours ago. The man who had injured herself and her friends. With effort she kept both arms relaxed, and she just watched him. For several minutes, she simply stood and looked him directly in the eye.

Finally, she quietly spoke. "You will not hurt anyone anymore. Nor can you pretend that we don't exist, a monstrosity so disgusting that we must be hidden from ourselves; and those who have seen us from other worlds must die. You can see, it is your actions today, not mine, that have disgusted those who we have met. For thousands of years Elata have been taught that we are shameful; a mistake that was not meant to happen. That was Ugran fear talking. Worry that we would learn to use our abilities and squash you, as you were so bent on decimating us. Did it ever occur to your ancestors – to you – to get to know us? To work peacefully beside us? For thousands of years we have been slaves to the Ugrans. Bred at your wish, raised in factories, working where Ugrans do not wish to work. And yet we have what Ugrans seem to lack. Compassion. Even after all these years, our goal is not conquest or domination. We simply wish to live our lives in peace on our homeworld, with our Ugran cousins as neighbors and friends."

Iolani paused and took a deep breath. "Today many people died. I am sure of that. But I'm also sure that today is the start of a new history. It probably won't happen all at once, but change will happen. The Elata were not the only ones wishing for change. There were some Ugran sympathizers who felt that a Warden, a term used to mean 'one in charge of a prison,' should not be the ruler of a planet. Today, all citizens of Ugra Prime shall be free. Tomorrow they will awaken to a new world. A better one."

With that, she turned on her heel and walked out of the brig. As soon as she had crossed the threshold into Odo's office and the door closed behind her, she burst into a huge smile and spun, clapping her hands. She lifted into the air, giggling and clapping. Julian could not help but smile broadly with her, and even the impassive Odo seemed very pleased with what he saw in front of him. Iolani flew out of the security office door, her laughter sounding throughout the promenade.


	10. Epilogue

_Previously:_

_With that, she turned on her heal and walked out of the brig. As soon as she had crossed the threshold into Odo's office and the door closed behind her, she burst into a huge smile and spun, clapping her hands. She lifted into the air, giggling and clapping. Julian could not help but smile broadly with her, and even the impassive Odo seemed very pleased with what he saw in front of him. Iolani flew out of the security office door, her laughter sounding throughout the promenade. _

**Epilogue**

In the days following her arrival on the station Iolani made herself comfortable and at home. She was assigned quarters, cut her hair into a shorter, attractive style that showed off her pointed ears, and left her wings out for everyone to see. Many of the children on the station would beg for her to fly with them, and she often did, high over the promenade, much to the displeasure of their parents. However, the whooping of their children, and the grin on Iolani's face soon won over even the most stringent parent. She would often only stop entertaining the children when Julian would catch her eye and give her a glance that said she should be resting. She would giggle, wave at him, and apologize to the children, but promising them that they could have another ride the next day.

A week after she arrived, word was received from Ugra Prime that the revolution had been successful. As she had suspected, Onan was the leading force behind keeping up with the ancient and dilapidated Doctrines. He had enjoyed being in power more than he had hoped to have a peaceful world. Instead of appointing a new Warden, the temporary government had decided to hold elections. A new parliament would be enacted, with both Ugran and Elata serving on it, equally. It would take time for the changes they made to take effect, but the future was promising.


End file.
